Myki, Accountability, and the Growing Gap Between Government and Everyday People

There is an old saying that leadership starts at the top.

If that's true, then perhaps one of the biggest challenges facing modern politics isn't youth crime, social division, cost-of-living pressures, or even public trust itself.

Perhaps the problem is that governments have forgotten how important it is to lead by example.

Across Australia, and particularly here in Victoria, we're seeing increasing frustration directed towards politicians, governments, and public institutions. People are becoming more vocal. They're becoming more critical. Some are even using language that would have been considered unthinkable a decade ago.

While I don't necessarily agree with every insult or accusation thrown around online, I do understand where the frustration comes from.

People are tired of being told to be accountable while watching those in positions of power avoid accountability themselves.

People are tired of hearing promises, only to see outcomes that fall well short of what was originally sold to them.

And for me, one of the greatest examples of this is the Myki system.

The Billion-Dollar Ticket

When Myki was first proposed, Victorians weren't simply promised a replacement for Metcard.

We were promised the future.

A modern, intelligent ticketing system designed not only for trains, trams, and buses, but potentially for a range of services across Victoria.

The vision was exciting.

A single card could have eventually become your transport ticket, your event ticket, your museum pass, your parking payment system, and potentially much more.

Imagine using one account to enter a sporting event at the MCG, attend a concert, visit a museum, pay for parking, and travel home.

The data generated could have helped tourism bodies understand visitor movements, supported planning decisions, improved marketing campaigns, and provided valuable insights into how people move throughout Victoria.

At least that was the vision.

Instead, after years of delays, technical problems, contract disputes, and cost blowouts running into the billions, many Victorians are left asking a simple question:

"What exactly did we get?"

Because if we're being honest, Myki today largely performs the same fundamental task that Metcard performed before it.

It lets you travel.

That's about it.

For a project that was sold as revolutionary, it feels more like a very expensive evolution of what already existed.

The Cost of Reinventing the Wheel

One of the most frustrating aspects of Myki is that Victoria chose to build a unique system rather than adopt or adapt existing proven technology.

Sometimes innovation is worthwhile.

Sometimes creating something new delivers enormous value.

But sometimes the smartest decision is simply buying a solution that already works.

When projects spiral beyond their original budgets by hundreds of millions—or billions—of dollars, the public deserves honest conversations about what went wrong.

Not because mistakes shouldn't happen.

Mistakes happen in government, business, and everyday life.

The problem isn't making mistakes.

The problem is pretending they never happened.

The Missed Opportunities

What frustrates me most is not just the cost.

It's the opportunities that were missed.

During COVID, for example, governments were scrambling to understand movement patterns and customer flow.

Businesses were relying on QR code systems for contact tracing.

I often wondered whether Myki could have evolved into something much broader.

A verified state-based check-in system.

A visitor management platform.

A tourism insights tool.

A parking solution.

A public event platform.

A digital identity gateway.

Not because governments should track every aspect of our lives, but because if taxpayers are funding large digital infrastructure projects, those projects should deliver maximum value.

Instead, many of these opportunities were left sitting on the platform while the train departed without them.

Politics and the Cost-of-Living Reality

The deeper issue isn't Myki.

Myki is simply a symptom.

The real issue is the growing disconnect between elected representatives and the people they represent.

Many politicians speak about cost-of-living pressures.

Many speak about housing affordability.

Many speak about struggling families.

But the average Victorian often wonders:

Do they truly understand it?

Do they understand choosing between fuel and groceries?

Do they understand skipping meals so children can eat first?

Do they understand rent increases, power bills, and trying to stretch every dollar until payday?

Because from the outside looking in, politics often appears to operate in a different world.

A world of government vehicles, allowances, catered functions, fundraising dinners, media advisers, and professional political careers that can last decades.

Meanwhile, the people footing the bill are being told to tighten their belts.

Politics Was Never Meant to Be a Career for Life

One idea I've often thought about is whether politics should have stronger limits.

Not because experience isn't valuable.

Experience absolutely matters.

But representation matters too.

Perhaps more people should cycle through public office.

Serve a period.

Contribute.

Represent their community.

Then return to ordinary life.

Just as citizens understand government, governments should continue understanding citizens.

Because when people spend decades inside political systems, it becomes harder to remember what life looks like outside them.

Democracy Needs a 21st Century Upgrade

Democracy is still one of the greatest systems humanity has created.

But that doesn't mean it can't improve.

Election campaigns shouldn't require enormous financial backing.

Ordinary Australians shouldn't feel locked out of public office.

Good ideas shouldn't need millions of dollars behind them before they can be heard.

The average worker, nurse, teacher, tradie, small business owner, volunteer, parent, or student should feel they have a genuine pathway to represent their community.

Not because they're career politicians.

But because they understand the people around them.

Perhaps that's what democracy needs most right now.

Not more spin.

Not more slogans.

Not more promises.

Just accountability.

Real accountability.

The kind that starts at the top and flows down through every level of society.

Because when governments lead by example, citizens usually follow.

And when they don't, they shouldn't be surprised when trust starts running late.

Unlike Myki, trust isn't something you can simply tap on and tap off.